European Colonies in
North America
Jamie Wood
Texas Women’s University
Social Studies Unit:
• The length of this until is 5 days.
• It is developed using the Cognitive
Academic Language Learning
Approach.
5th Grade
Social Studies TEKS: §113.7
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(1) History. The student understands the causes and effects of European
colonization in the United States. The student is expected to:
-(A) explain when, where, and why groups of people colonized and
settled in the United States.
(8) Geography. The student understands the location and patterns of
settlement and the geographic factors that influence where people live.
The student is expected to:
-(A) identify and describe the types of settlement and patterns of
land use in the United States;
(25) Social studies skills. The student applies critical-thinking skills to
organize and use information acquired from a variety of sources including
electronic technology. The student is expected to:
-(C) organize and interpret information in outlines, reports,
databases, and visuals including graphs, charts, timelines, and
maps.
5th Grade
Language Arts and Reading TEKS:
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(b) Knowledge and skills.
-(1) Listening/speaking/purposes. The student listens actively and
purposefully in a variety of settings. The student is expected to:
-(A) determine the purposes for listening such as to gain
information, to solve problems, or to enjoy and appreciate (4-8);
-(B) eliminate barriers to effective listening (4-8);
-(6) Reading/word identification. The student uses a variety of word
identification strategies.
(C) locate the meanings, pronunciations, and derivations of
unfamiliar words using dictionaries, glossaries, and other sources (4-8).
-(13) Reading/inquiry/research. The student inquires and conducts
research using a variety of sources.
(D) interpret and use graphic sources of
information such as maps, graphs, time lines, tables, or diagrams to address
research questions (4-5);
(E) summarize and organize information from multiple sources by taking
notes, outlining ideas, and making charts (4-8);
Social Studies
Content Objectives:
• Learn about purposes, characteristics,
and way of life of Spanish, English,
French, and Dutch colonist in North
America.
• Learn about interaction between
colonists and Native Americans.
Social Studies
Process Skills:
• Use map skills to locate areas of
North America colonized by
Europeans.
• Make a timeline of major events in
North America during the colonial
period.
Language Objectives:
• Discuss prior knowledge about European
colonies in North America.
• Develop vocabulary related to the
establishment and government of the
colonies.
• Read and listen to information about
events and way of life in colonial America.
Language Objectives
Continued:
• Answer questions and write summaries of
information read or listened to.
• Describe photographs of recreation of
colonial life in Plymouth orally and in
writing.
• Write and present a report on colonies in
other areas of the world.
Learning Strategies:
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Elaboration of prior knowledge
Selective attention
Note-taking
Summarization
Cooperation
Materials
• Photographs of scenes from Plymouth Plantation.
• Glossary of major vocabulary.
• Reference books, library books about colonial life,
encyclopedia, atlas.
• Overhead projector.
• Map of United States, Canada, and Mexico.
– Students outline maps of U.S., Canada, and Mexico
showing borders, state names, major rivers.
Procedures:
Preparation 1:
What do you know about colonies
in North America?
• Students work in groups with outline
maps of U.S., Canada, and Mexico to
brainstorm and share their prior
knowledge.
-Students make color key for map
to indicate areas settled by Spanish,
English, French, and Dutch.
Preparation 1:
Continued
• Learning strategy:
-Teacher names, models, and
explains usefulness of previewing a
text by looking at the title and
section heading to get an idea of the
topic.
Presentation 1:
Spanish Colonies
• Learning strategy reminder: Thinking
about your prior knowledge helps you
get ready to learn new information.
-Students work in groups to read
text about Spanish colonies using
Reciprocal Teaching.
Practice 1:
Understanding What You Read
• In groups: students read
comprehension statements about
Spanish colonies, indicating which are
true and correcting false statements.
(Learning strategy reminder – scanning.)
– Students scan the text to identify 4
states where the Spanish established,
then color on map.
Preparation 2:
England in the New World
• Learning strategy reminder – cooperation
with classmates = everyone learns more.
• Students work in groups to share prior
knowledge by working on a vocabulary
crossword puzzle together.
• Words and concepts in the puzzle not
known by anyone in the group are looked up
in a glossary or dictionary.
Presentation 2:
The First English Colonies
• Students read text about English
colonies: Jamestown and Plymouth.
- Using Reciprocal Teaching.
Practice 2:
Understand what you read
• Learning strategy: scanning
-Students scan the text and take
notes on a graphic organizer.
• Students work in groups to compare
and contrast Jamestown and
Plymouth colonies and present oral
summary to the rest of class.
Practice 2:
Continued
• Students identify states where
Jamestown and Plymouth colonies were
located, and color them on outline map.
• Students study and describe photos of a
modern re-creation to life in Plymouth
colony, then work in groups to write
description and orally report to class.
Preparation 3:
What do you know about Native
Americans?
• Teacher leads brainstorming discussion to
seek students’ prior knowledge about
Native Americans.
-including their way of life and
interactions with European explorers and
colonists.
• Information is recorder on a graphic
organizer.
Presentation 3:
Massasoit
• Learning strategy reminder: use
selective attention to listen for
important ideas.
-Teacher demonstrates notetaking on over-head projector.
Practice 3:
Listening and Taking Notes
• As students listen, they complete a
T-List about Massasoit.
• After, students work in groups to
compare and complete their notes,
then use the completed T-List as a
guide to write summaries of the
information.
Evaluation:
• Students complete a Learning Log
identifying what they have learned in the
unit, including concepts, vocabulary,
language and learning strategies
• Teacher leads class discussion of Learning
Logs and what students have learned in
this unit.
Expansion:
• Students are challenged with higher-level
questions about colonization.
- How were Spanish and English colonists similar?
Different?
-Why were there conflicts between European and
Native Americans?
-What would North America be like today if
Europeans had not established colonies here?
-Many more high-level question…
Expansion:
Finding out more about colonies
around the world.
• Students research colonization in
their native countries, using
resources such a parents, library,
internet.
• Develop a class timeline
• Write a brief report about
colonization in their native countries.
Assessment:
• Student Learning Logs
• Graphic Organizers
comparing/contrasting Jamestown
and Plymouth colonies.
• Student summaries of presentation
of Massasoit.
• Student Assessment Form